Hanseatic Cross

Hanseatic Cross (Hanseatenkreuz)
Obverse of the Hanseatic Cross from Bremen (left) and Hamburg (right)
TypeSingle-grade
Awarded forWar merit
DescriptionRed-enameled cross pattée bearing the arms of the relevant city-state on the center medallion.
Presented byBremen, Hamburg and Lübeck
EligibilityMilitary and civilians who aided the war effort
Campaign(s)World War I
StatusObsolete
EstablishedAugust/September 1915
TotalApprox. 80,000
Obverse of the Hanseatic Cross from Lübeck (left) and reverse of all three versions, here Bremen (right)
Precedence
Next (higher)None
Next (lower)None

The Hanseatic Cross (German: Hanseatenkreuz) was a military decoration of the three Hanseatic city-states of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, who were members of the German Empire during World War I. Each republic established its own version of the cross, but the design and award criteria were similar for each.